18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

The mastiff was not deterred, showing up every day.

Cooper had no shortage of bunny minions and had been deeply brainwashed by his owner. "Cooper, don't leave home without permission. You'll get trapped or poisoned. Then you won't have any steak to eat and won't be able to play with us anymore." So, even though the mastiff was persistent, Cooper stayed within the boundaries set by his owner. Occasionally, he would playfight with the mastiff, but it was always harmless. He had some sense of decorum as long as the other dog didn't push him too far. One day, Stella was walking the dog and the mastiff followed her. It was the epitome of loyalty.

"Stella." A voice came from behind.

Tracy was not far away, her eyes filled with complexity.

Stella frowned, "What do you want?"

Tracy took a deep breath, nervously saying, "Did you grow up in an orphanage? Do you have a pendant?"

Stella stared at her, her eyes sharp and icy. The cutting gaze made Tracy feel uncomfortable.

"Woof!" Cooper snarled, ready to attack.

"Woof!" The mastiff followed suit, looking much more ferocious.

Tracy was scared and stepped back.

"Tracy, there are some things that once said, you have to pay a price." Stella coldly warned, "If you can't afford the price, it's better to keep them to yourself."

Tracy was shocked and stood speechless.

Stella walked away without looking back.

Tracy clutched her chest, feeling suffocated. She watched as the young woman disappeared from her sight.

Days passed and Stella continued to provide Angela with medication. Angela condition improved slightly, and she continued to work. Working was tiring, and Stella wanted to suggest rest, but knowing that being alone in a small apartment could worsen depression, she kept quiet. However, she did get Austin to provide a pair of boxing gloves.

Seeing the new gloves, Angela broke down crying, hugging Stella.

Stella patted her shoulder, "It's okay. We need to look forward. We will survive the disaster."

She wondered whether Angela had survived in her previous life, but she hoped this time Angela could make it till the end.

The antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs were effective initially, and later the herbal remedies helped Angela recover from her miscarriage.

The herbal remedies weren't free, but compared to the black market, they were almost a giveaway.

Lukas and others didn't need to exchange a lot of resources for medicine. They saved all the gray income from work, and their difficult lives gradually improved.

Both families soon moved out of the slum and got better living conditions. They moved to a place closer to the city center. The rent was three times higher, but each family rented an apartment. It felt like a breath of fresh air, away from the prying eyes of others. The two rented apartments were still close to each other for mutual support.

Cody called on the walkie-talkie, saying he and Lukas were off work and invited Stella for a late-night snack. Yes, there were late-night snacks even in the apocalypse, available in both official and private stores.

This was an orphanage reunion, and Stella didn't plan to bring her family, but she still mentioned it to Jasper.

Jasper kindly reminded, "BBQ is quite expensive, especially meat and alcohol."

In his previous life, he had tried it when Evan invited everyone after a disaster relief work. A meal had consumed a month's salary, and it was not even satisfying.

So he suggested that Stella could bring some food, to not burden Cody and Lukas, and to have a pleasant and happy get-together.

Stella agreed and brought some food from Arcadia. For meat, she had bacon and dried squid. She didn't dare to bring the fresh ones. She also brought three bottles of beer. She packed them into a large insulated lunch box and set off on her bicycle. Cody chose an official store. They were tired after work, but they were excited about the get-together.

Lukas was lucky that day. He got a dozen pounds of sweet potatoes when chasing a robber, "Thanks to Stella's careful treatment and precious medicine, Angela's getting better. My treat tonight."

Cody knew that Lukas was not just physically tired, but also emotionally drained. Lukas held back his tears and kept everything to himself.

Seeing Lukas gradually lighten up, Cody was relieved, "It feels like Stella saved us again."

Just like when they were kids, if they hadn't followed Stella, they might not have been able to afford college. After all the twists and turns, they were back to Griffith, seeing the light of life. And this light came from Stella. Lukas ordered quite a lot and was about to pay when he was successfully intercepted. Just in time, Stella came. She took back the bacon, dried fish, and dried squid.

Bringing your own food to a restaurant and not ordering was a sure way to get kicked out, so Stella ordered some greens and two servings of fried noodles.

The apocalypse had been going on for over three years, and they didn't have much of a choice regarding food.

The waitress looked at Stella with resentment for stealing her commission.

Stella smiled at her and handed her a candy, "Thank you."

The three of them found a corner and sat down. Stella took out the BBQ she brought, "Did you forget what I used to do? I don't have much left, but I can still share." Smelling the familiar BBQ, Lukas and Cody salivated, "Stella, you're the best."

Savoring the taste from before the disaster, it felt like their souls were instantly uplifted. The two were in a state of bliss, as if they were on drugs.

Stella smiled helplessly and said, "Look at you two, so easily satisfied."

She motivated them, "Hang in there, take it one step at a time, and someday you'll have meat, wine, and a big house."

Funny enough, they both had that plans.

Angela was getting better, and although being a patrol officer was dangerous, if they were lucky, they could earn more in one outing than others in a month.

They were renting now, but they hoped to buy a house in the future, to call it home. Dreaming of a mansion was too much, but they were certainly aiming for a cozy little house. Stella pulled out barbecue and beer, and their eyes nearly popped out of their heads. Beer, oh, glorious beer!

If they wanted to feast on delicious food and drink, they had to stick with her.

Just as the three of them were about to dig in, the door to the shop suddenly swung open, and a tall figure strode in. "What a coincidence, you guys are here too?"